With the agreement, Telesat said it iwill be able to use Blue Origin’s patent-pending orbital architecture and global spectrum rights, as well as its antenna, digital processing, optical link and manufacturing technologies. Telesat hopes in this way to provide a service that will provide communications in rural and hard to reach areas, help push the expansion of 5G, and provide connectivity for key maritime and aeronautical broadband markets.
Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith said the company will use its New Glenn’s 7-meter fairing, which he says can take twice the payload volume as other launch providers on the market. The deal will give New Glenn reusable rockets the chance to demonstrate their heavy-lift and volume capabilities to civil, commercial and national security customers when it begins launching in 2021. New Glenn has already been selected by the US Air Force for a launch services agreement.
Telesat and Blue Origin will also cooperate on a range of other technical activities, with the aim of assuring cost and performance objectives throughout the multi-launch programme.
